Grant Writing Workshop for Non-profits ⇢ Notion Template

The goal of this roughly 75-min workshop is to gather and document a team’s collective knowledge about a project’s purpose, background, and planned impact before the team starts working on a funding request. This Notion template is designed to facilitate a discussion and, later, serve as the project’ central knowledge hub.

Grant Writing 101

Agencies that Offer Grant Funding

• Private Foundations
  • There are four basic types of foundations: family foundations; specific need foundations (such as hospital and university foundations); corporate foundations (such as banks have); and community foundations. Foundations are in the business of making money and giving it away to charities. They are incorporated and have special tax status, which allows them to accumulate assets over time, with some disbursement requirements. Foundations give around 5% of their total annual assets to non-profit organizations each year. The amount available to give is directly related to the performance of financial markets. Candid.org maintains a database of U.S. grant-makers and their funding opportunities.
• The U.S. Government
  • The U.S. government funds projects that provide public services and stimulate the economy. A grant is one of many different forms of federal financial assistance. Grants.gov is the main portal for groups interested in applying for government grants. To sort through the federal grant programs, the authoritative source is the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA). This catalog lists all of the available funding programs to all levels of government, non-profit organizations, for-profit businesses, and other eligible entities.

Projects that Win Grant Funding

• Projects that efficiently solve a well-documented problem
  • The most challenging projects to fund are the projects that don’t feel urgent and timely. If you present recent data or documentation that supports the need for your project, you are much more likely to catch the attention of a funding agency.
• Projects that build on work already being done in the community
  • Funding agencies are often very familiar with the communities they serve. If your project builds on work that is already being done in the community (perhaps work that has already been funded by this funding agency), it is important to highlight those connections and collaborations.
• Projects that feel on-trend and relevant
  • There are trends in funding priorities among both public and private funding agencies. Children’s issues (e.g. child abuse/neglect) were the focus of the early 1990s, followed by a focus on closing the digital divide in the mid to late 1990s. After September 11th, projects that addressed safety and security issues became a priority. The 2008 financial crisis re-directed funding agencies to programs that addressed unemployment. In 2020, funders were interested in projects related to the pandemic or projects focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). In 2023, assume that community-led projects focused on climate action, sustainability, or DEI might be prioritized. Projects that are highly scalable via technology also seem to be prioritized by funding agencies.
• Projects backed by an experienced lead or an organization with a history of fiscal responsibility
  • One of the first things a funder will want to know is: who is involved? Be sure to emphasize the project manager’s qualifications and any relevant prior experience. Explain how the sponsoring organization has managed finances for previous projects. If you are a new organization, offer a comprehensive plan for fiscal oversight.

The Basic Components of a Grant Proposal

• Cover Page
• Abstract
  • A clear, concise summary of your case for funding. Your abstract should include the 1) problem, 2) the solution, 3) a comprehensive outline of the funding requirements, and 4) a compelling overview of the organization’s mission and capacity to execute the project. Compose the abstract after you have finished writing the rest of the proposal.
• Table of Contents
• Organization Background
  • Who is responsible for the project? Introduce your organization’s mission, reach, impact, and expertise.
• Statement of Need
  • Why is this project necessary? You should be prepared to present evidence that supports the demand for the proposed project and establishes that your organization is capable of addressing the problem. Documentation and data are key here.
• Project Description
  • How will the project be implemented? This is where you will clearly explain your goals, objectives, methods, and plan of operation.
• Evaluation
  • How will we measure success? Your project goals should be S.M.A.R.T. (i.e. specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound). Each goal should include a quantitative or qualitative measurement so that one can clearly determine if the goal was actually accomplished.
• Budget
  • How much will it cost? Every grant proposal should include a meticulous financial breakdown of the project plus explanatory notes.
    • Costs to consider:
      • Direct Costs: Monies you are asking for in the grant proposal.
      • In-Kind Donations: Goods and services donated to the program.
      • Indirect Costs: Administrative costs associated with operating the program.

Writing Style Tips

• Write at a ninth or tenth grade reading level.
• Use layman’s terms. Avoid technical language.
• Avoid using contractions.
• Avoid using abbreviations and undefined acronyms.
• Avoid using slang.

Why use Notion for Non-profit Management?

Notion is equipped to serve as a single source of truth for your entire organization. Your team will be able to access, create, and edit documents, tasks, notes, and databases from any device, either asynchronously or in real time.

⭐ Psst → don't miss Notion's non-profit discount!